Mahe's tallest peak is Morne Seychellois at 905 m, which lies in the Morne Seychellois National Park. The northern and eastern parts of the island are home to much of the population and the international airport which opened in 1971. The southern and western parts have Baie Ternay Marine National Park and Port Launay Marine National Park. The Ste Anne Marine National Park lies offshore, as do Conception Island, Therese Island, Anonyme Island and Silhouette Island.

Mahe was first visited by the British in 1609 and not visited by Europeans again until Lazare Picault's expedition of 1742. Mahe remained a French possession until 1812 when it became a British colony. It remained a colony until 1976 when Seychelles became an independent nation.

Mahe's forests have rare endemic plants found only in the Seychelles, such as the critically endangered Medusagyne oppositifolia (the "Jellyfish tree"), the carnivorous Seychelles Pitcher plant and many species of unique orchids.